A Long Overdue Friendship
by FaithInHim4ever
Summary: Iago has never had a family before. But there is one person he can count on to get him through the dark times. Can Jasmine help him be able to trust Aladdin the same way? And will Jas be able to tell Aladdin a secret from her past that she's blocked out for the past five years? R/R
1. Chapter 1

DISC: I DO NOT own any of the chars from Aladdin. They belong to Disney.

Enjoy!

"A Long Overdue Friendship"

Chapter 1

Iago sighed as he sat on one of the posts that sat on either side of Jasmine's bed. He liked this sleeping arrangement, although he would never admit it aloud-especially to her. If Iago was truthful with himself, he felt safest with Jasmine. She made him feel safer than anyone else ever could-even Aladdin. While he and Aladdin were definitely friends, Iago felt comforted whenever Jasmine went on adventures with them. As he glanced out the window, he could tell dawn was close to rising. Figuring he could get a few more hours of sleep, Iago closed his eyes once again. Bolting upright a few hours later, Iago could feel himself shaking. He didn't know why at first, which confused him even more. Glancing around, the sight of Jasmine's familiar room made Iago's heart beat slowly down considerably. Despite this small comfort, he could still feel his whole body trembling as though he had just been scared to the core or was awaiting something very unpleasant. Taking a deep breath, Iago glanced up at the window only to find sunlight streaming into the room. But even as sunlight spilled upon the various objects in Jasmine's room, Iago still shivered. Glancing down at the bed, he frowned when he realized Jasmine wasn't there. He could really use her comforting presence right now. He was about to fly off and try to find her when he discovered his shaking body prevented him from doing so. As if an answer to his silent prayer, the door opened a minute later. Unfortunately, the voice that met his ears wasn't Jasmine's.

"Iago? Are you awake?"

Iago tried not to frown as Aladdin's profile came into sharper relief.  
"Hey, Al," he greeted in an attempt to sound normal.  
"Genie cooked up a good breakfast," Aladdin informed him, "come on before Abu eats it all."  
"Uh, that's okay," Iago backed up a little.  
"You love eating Genie's breakfasts," Aladdin mused aloud. He frowned in concern. Getting a closer look at Iago, his frown deepened. "Iago, are you okay?"  
"Yeah, I'm fine," he lied.  
"Iago…" Aladdin sighed. He was about to say more when someone else joined them.  
"Aladdin, is he awake yet?"  
The familiar female voice of the one person who he needed right then made Iago's heartbeat almost go back to normal. He glanced at the door as Jasmine walked through it.  
"Yeah," Aladdin replied. He frowned. "But he's not hungry."  
"Not hungry?" Jasmine raised her eyebrows at her fiancé's words. She glanced over at Iago and her breath caught in her throat when she saw how unwell he looked. "Aladdin, can you give me a few minutes alone with Iago? We need to talk."  
"Okay," Aladdin wasn't sure, but he trusted Jasmine, so he left them alone.  
Iago watched out of the corner of his eye as Jasmine approached the post he was resting on.  
"Iago, what is it?" Jasmine asked. Her voice was concerned and gentle.  
"It's nothing. I'll be fine. I just didn't sleep last night," he tried to lie.  
"Iago, look at me," Jasmine commanded. Her tone had become firm, but Iago could sense love behind it, not dominance, so he obeyed after a minute.  
"I wanna help you," she reached out a hand and placed it on his right wing, "I'm here for you."  
"You're the only one," Iago muttered.  
"Iago, Aladdin cares about you too," Jasmine reminded him. "I know it's hard for you to talk about this with anyone else but me. And I know having to relive it all yesterday didn't help." Cupping her hands underneath Iago, she gently lifted him off the post and settled him in her lap. "You're shaking," she observed with a frown as she stroked his feathers. "You're safe. We wouldn't let anything happen to you."  
"That's the problem, Jasmine," Iago said, "I know you guys care. And I know you would keep your word.."  
"Aladdin would too if he knew," Jasmine assured her friend.  
"You understand me, princess. That's why I can talk about it with you and not feel terrified," the parrot explained.  
"What scared you?" Jasmine asked gently. "Was it another nightmare?"  
Iago nodded, unable to say the word yes at the moment.  
"I'm so sorry. I'm sorry you're going through this again. I'll help you any way I can. But you might wanna eventually tell Aladdin."  
"Why?" Iago demanded.  
"He could help you too. He knows what it's like to be trapped too," she reminded him.  
"Not like I was. And definitely not like what "he" did to you," Iago said bitterly. When he saw Jasmine shut her eyes for a minute and felt her body tense, he regretted his words instantly. "I'm sorry, Jasmine. Like you said, he can't hurt either of us anymore."  
"It's still hard to forget," Jasmine whispered. "I never told my father or Aladdin about that horrible night. I guess I've blocked it out for the past five years."  
Iago nodded in agreement.  
"You trust Aladdin, right?" Iago asked.

"Completely," Jasmine said without hesitation.  
"Talk to him," Iago encouraged. "You don't have anything to lose."  
"Neither do you," Jasmine gently reminded him.  
"Will you be there?" Iago asked. He felt stupid for asking. He wasn't used to needing anyone before.  
"Of course I will," Jasmine assured him.  
"Thanks, ,Jas," Iago managed a tiny smile for her.  
"No need to thank me," Jasmine told him. "Come on. Let's go find Aladdin." With that, she picked Iago up and carried him out of the room. Halfway down to the kitchen, Iago switched to Jasmine's right shoulder. He felt safest there if he couldn't be in her lap.  
"There you two are," Aladdin smiled when he saw them. He stood, walked over to Jasmine and gave her a kiss. His grin grew wider when he saw Jasmine had managed to convince Iago to join them.  
"Aladdin, Iago and I need to tell you something. It's important," she stressed.

"Okay," Aladdin hesitated. He glanced at genie, which was busy cleaning up the remnince of breakfast.

"Point taken, Jas, no problem. Monkeyman and I will play a rousing game of cards!" With that, Genie saluted Jasmine, patted Aladdin's shoulder and left with Abu. Once they were gone, Aladdin turned his full attention to Jasmine.  
"What's this all about, Jas? It sounds serious."  
"It is," Jasmine confirmed. "And I need you to listen with as little interruption as possible. It's really important."  
Aladdin nodded.  
"Let's go somewhere more private," Jasmine suggested. With that, she led the group to the palace garden. Rajah was there to greet them. He purred and licked both young adults while staring at Iago.  
"I suggest you get comfortable," Jasmine forewarned, "This might take a while."  
Aladdin settled himself down next to Jasmine on one of the fountains ledges.  
Jasmine glanced down at Iago who had been silent since they had left the sanctuary of her bedroom.  
"You can do this," she encouraged.  
Iago gulped, swallowed hard before locking eyes with Jasmine. He glanced up at Aladdin who was looking both concerned and a little curious.  
"Do you want me to go first?" Jasmine asked.  
Part of Iago screamed at him to say yes, but another part said no. He knew while they both had suffered at Jafar's hands, Jasmine's ordeal had been worse than his in some ways.  
"That-that's okay, princess." Taking another deep breath, Iago found the courage from deep within to start his story. He kept his eyes locked with Jasmine's as he started, fearing that if he broke eye contact with her for even a second, he wouldn't be able to tell it at all.

"It all started a few months after Jafar and I moved into the palace," Iago began. "You already know how he won over the Sultan, so I won't bore you with the details. The only one he couldn't charm was Jas. She was onto him from day one. She may have only been fourteen, but she was just as smart then as she is now. Sometimes, I think the princess was two steps ahead of Jafar. Unfortunately, he knew it too. And he didn't like it. He also didn't like her fiery personality." Feeling Jasmine nudge his wing slightly, Iago changed course. He hadn't meant to start the story out that way. But now that he had, he had to continue at least for a second. As he gathered his thoughts together, he winked at her to let her know he wouldn't go much further with her part of it. He assumed she understood because her fingers relaxed into his feathers once again. "Anyway, Jafar wanted power, lots of it. And he would do anything to get it. One day after he had threatened Jasmine, I…I tried standing up for her and myself. It was the first and the last time I ever tried it."  
Aladdin couldn't help it. He remembered Jasmine had advised him not to interrupt, but he couldn't stay silent any longer.  
"Jafar threatened you!" He exclaimed.  
Jasmine nodded with a sigh.  
"Aladdin, he threatened all of us at one time or another. That's not important right now."  
"what do you mean it's not-" Aladdin was stopped by the look on Jasmine's face, coupled with her finger on his lips.  
"You'll know what happened to me soon enough. You need to let Iago finish.  
"Thanks," Iago mumbled.  
Jasmine nodded.  
"Go on," she encouraged.  
Iago could feel his body starting to shake again. He forced himself to remain calm. He wasn't back there anymore. He was safe with Jasmine and his other friends. He was safe with one of the few people who he could trust. He could do this…  
"Anyway, it was a few minutes after we had gotten back to our lab," Iago continued. He once again had his eyes locked on Jasmine's for support. 

****Past&&

"Don't you think you've gone too far this time?" Iago asked. He knew he would regret it, but he had to know. Even though he didn't like the Sultan much, he was starting to befriend Jasmine and he had a feeling she felt the same way. "Hey!" he shouted, thinking Jafar hadn't heard him at first. "Do you think you might be-" his sentence was cut short as a hand grabbed him roughly around the neck, pressing him up against the wall.  
"I heard you the first time," Jafar hissed. "And I don't agree."  
"You didn't have to threaten her like that," Iago gasped out. Once he regained his breath, he continued. "She's just a kid."  
It was true that Jasmine was almost fifteen, but she still had some innocence of her childhood left. Iago saw it blossom whenever she was out in the garden with Rajah.  
"You stupid bird," Jafar hissed, throwing Iago to the side, "she's a threat to me. If I can't bring her to my side, I have to find another way to deal with her."  
Iago's stomach curled as he saw Jafar's lips curl into an evil smile. He knew what that meant. He let one shudder course through him before forcing himself to act neutral again. As he felt the pain from colliding with the wall, he tried not to show how much it bothered him. Remembering the promise he had made to Jasmine's mother, Iago vowed to protect the princess from Jafar, even if she didn't know he was doing it. "I won't let you hurt her," he said bravely.  
Smiling his cruel smile, Jafar made his way over to Iago, his snake staff in hand. Raising it high, he brought it down onto Iago's injured wing.  
"I'd like to see you stop me." With that, he was gone…

*****Present***

Iago wasn't even aware he had started to shake again. The only thing he was aware of was Jasmine's hand on his shoulder, stroking his wing over and over in an attempt to soothe him and keep his mind in the present with them.  
"Iago? Iago, can you hear me? It's okay. You're safe. You're in the garden. Aladdin and I are with you. Iago?"  
Iago managed to open his eyes a minute later. Once he locked them with Jasmine's, the tears he had been fighting back of the past few days burst forth. He hadn't meant to break down, it just happened.  
Shh, shh, it's okay, it's okay…" Jasmine continued to comfort. "You're safe. You're with your family. Jafar can't hurt either of us anymore. Shh…."  
Iago locked eyes with Jasmine once again when he heard her say the word 'family. He knew he was their friend, but he had never thought of himself as part of a family before. The concept was new to him. It was definitely one he would have to get used to. But that was for another day.  
"Ja-Jasmine?" Iago mumbled.  
"Shh, I'm here, Iago. I have you. What's wrong?"  
"I'm sorry," Iago muttered just low enough for Jas to hear.  
"You don't have to be sorry for anything," Jasmine assured him. "You didn't do anything wrong."  
"I didn't protect…I was-wasn't there when he…I promised your…" Iago's voice trailed off as his body shook violently.  
"It wasn't your fault," Jasmine reassured him, "I don't blame you." Turning to Aladdin she whispered, "We need to get him back inside. He's burning up."  
Aladdin frowned.  
"Do you think telling me that made him sick?" he asked.  
"It's possible," Jasmine stood carefully, still holding Iago.  
"Iago, it's okay. We're going back inside now. We're going back to my room," Jasmine explained. Entering her bedroom, Jasmine lay Iago down on her bed. Finding a soft blanket, she covered him with it and sat down beside him. Putting the back of her hand to his forehead, she frowned when she felt the heat.  
"Aladdin, he has a fever," she reported.  
"Should I get Genie?" Aladdin wondered aloud.  
"No. I'll take care of him," Jasmine replied. "It's okay."  
"Can I do anything? I feel so helpless," Aladdin admitted.  
Getting up from the bed, Jasmine wrapped her fiancé in a hug and kissed him.  
"Can you get me a thermometer and a basin full of cold water?"  
Aladdin nodded, left and returned shortly with the items his soon-to-be wife had requested.  
Setting the basin on the nightstand, Jasmine lifted one of Iago's wings and placed the thermometer underneath of it. She kept him still and calm while they waited. Taking it out, she frowned at the reading.  
"What does it say?" Aladdin asked.  
"He definitely has a fever," Jasmine concluded.  
"Poor Iago," Aladdin sighed.  
"He'll be okay. He just needs some love and care. Why don't you go check on the guys and I'll watch him for a little bit."  
"I'll be back," Aladdin assured her. Once he was gone, Jasmine sat down beside Iago and resumed stroking his feathers.  
"You're gonna be okay," she whispered. "You have a family who cares about you now. I'm gonna help you. We're all gonna help you through this." With that, she watched Iago sleep for the next few hours. She just prayed he would recover soon…


	2. Chapter 2

DISC: I DO NOT own any characters from Aladdin. They belong to Disney.

"A Long Overdue Friendship"

Chapter 2

Iago awoke sometime later to find Jasmine sitting by his side. She was absently stroking his feathers while staring out of the window. He was calmed by her gentle touch, but he still felt horrible. And not just physically. He stayed quiet for a few minutes. He didn't want to disturb her.  
"Hey, you're awake," her gentle eyes found his barely opened ones and he could see a smile spreading across her face. "Do you feel any better?"  
"Not really," Iago admitted. If anyone else had asked him, he would have said yes. But Jasmine had proven herself over the years to be a person he didn't have to lie to because of fear of consequences.  
"Does anything hurt?" Jasmine inquired.  
Iago thought for a minute. His stomach felt a little weird, but apart from a splitting headache, nothing else was bothering him.  
"My head," he admitted.  
"That's understandable. You just need more rest."  
To keep his mind off his problems, Iago asked a question of his own.  
"Were you here the whole time?"  
"Mostly," Jasmine answered.  
Iago was stunned. He knew what mostly meant, so he didn't ask. Even a princess had to eat and take care of personal business when it became necessary. He was touched that she hadn't left him otherwise.  
"Nobody's ever done that for me," he breathed.  
"I wanted to," Jasmine said. "Besides, I recall you doing the same thing for me." She frowned at the memory. She wasn't upset by what Iago had done for her. She was more upset by why he had to do it.  
"Jasmine?" Iago attempted to flutter up to her shoulder, but was stopped by a sudden wave of dizziness.  
"I'm okay," Jasmine assured him. "Just rest for me," she lovingly ordered.  
Iago found it easy to obey her since he knew she cared about him. Settling back down in her lap, he tried to get comfortable yet again. It wasn't so easy this time around. As he felt Jasmine adjust herself, the dizziness increased. Shutting his eyes, he wished it would go away.

"Iago, what's wrong?" Jasmine glanced down at him, her eyes full of concern.

In an effort to regain some of his old sarcasm, he replied, "Would you quit it with the shifting and moving?"  
Jasmine saw right through his attempt.

"Are you feeling sick?"  
"I can't get anything past you, can I?" Iago retorted.  
Jasmine sighed. She knew even though she and Iago had a strong bond now, he still pulled away at times. She also knew it wasn't her fault or his own for that matter. Seeing Genie's lamp on her nightstand, she remembered Aladdin had left it with her for the night just in case she needed help. She reached over and rubbed it quickly but gently.

Genie appeared in a nightcap and pj's with dinosaurs on them. The dinosaurs were playing some sort of game with sticks and balls.

"Hey, Jas, what's with the early wakeup call? Are you okay?" Genie had turned back to his normal self at this point, ready and willing to help his friends.  
"I'm fine, Genie," Jasmine assured him, "but Iago needs something to settle his stomach."  
"Tummy soother, coming right up!" Genie snapped his fingers and some type of crackers appeared in his hands.  
"No, no way! I'm not eating those things again!" Iago shouted. He made it to Jasmine's shoulder and tried to hide in her hair.

"Genie, I don't think they're the best solution," Jasmine whispered while trying to calm Iago down before he made himself throw up.  
"They're called soda crackers," Genie explained. "Remember, I gave them to you when you got food poisoning last month. They worked wonders for you."  
"I know. But crackers are kind of a trigger for Iago. Don't you have something else?"  
Genie thought for a minute before making the crackers disappear. He snapped his fingers again. This time, he produced something in a cup. He handed it to Jasmine.

"What is it?" She asked.  
"It's called Ginger ale. It'll do the trick for our feathered friend," he replied.  
Jasmine nodded. She turned her attention to Iago who was still taking refuge in her raven locks.  
"Iago, come on. This is different. It's a drink." Getting an idea, Jasmine took a tentative sip herself. She was surprised how good it tasted. "it's really good. I just tried it. It'll help you."  
Hesitantly, Iago lifted his face from out of Jasmine's signature Arabian rap and fluttered down into her lap once again. He took a few cautious steps towards the cup and sniffed.  
"Did you really try it?" he asked his friend.  
"Yup," Jasmine replied. "Genie can vouch for me."  
"Jas tested it all right. And she's fine."  
Iago nodded. He took another step before it got to be too much.

Jasmine saw and helped him the rest of the way.

"Thanks," he muttered.  
Jasmine held the cup while Iago took a small sip. He took another one before settling back down in the princess's lap.

"How do you feel now?" Jasmine asked.  
"Exhausted," Iago said truthfully.  
Jasmine ruffled his feathers sympathetically.  
"How does your stomach feel?" she clarified.

"A little better," he admitted.  
"I'm glad," Jasmine smiled down at Iago. She smiled at Genie next. "Genie, you did it! Thank you."  
"Aw, no thanks needed, princess woman. You're all family to me Now I gotta get back to my game of croquet." With that, he left a bottle of Ginger ale on her nightstand and went back into the lamp.  
"What's-" Jasmine started to ask, but stopped when she realize he was gone. Turning her attention to Iago, she smoothed his feathers, gave him a small kiss on the top of his head and settled down for bed herself. It had definitely been a long day. And as she fell asleep, something told her the next one would be just as long. Before she totally drifted off, she wished Iago sweet dreams.  
"Wake me up if you need me," Jasmine told him.  
"Will do, princess," Iago mumbled, already half asleep himself.  
Smiling over at Rajah, who was laying at the end of her bed, Jasmine got as comfortable with as little movement as possible.  
"Good night, Rajah. I love you." She heard happy purring in response. It was enough to help her drift off into dreamland…

*****

Jasmine bolted upright in bed somewhere early in the morning. She was shaking and she could feel tears streaming down her face. Wiping them away only to have more fall, she tried to calm down. The nightmare had been so vivid, she felt like she was bad there again. One glance around the room told her she was safe. The sound of Iago's voice broke her from her efforts to calm herself.

"Jasmine?"  
Forcing herself to take a deep breath, Jasmine glanced down to see Iago beside her.  
"Iago, I'm sorry. Did you fall when I sat up?"  
"It doesn't matter," Iago dismissed. "Do you want me to get Al?"  
"No, that's okay. I'll be all right. Are you feeling better?"  
"Yeah," Iago said, even though it was only half true.  
Jasmine nodded. She had a feeling Iago had just told her a half truth, but she was still so shaken, she didn't bother dragging it out of him right now. Glancing out of the window, Jasmine could see the sun starting to rise. Sighing to herself, she rose from her bed, got dressed and went downstairs for breakfast. Iago fluttered onto her right shoulder as always. As she felt him do so, she had to remind herself it was Iago and force her body not to tense. Entering the dining hall, she sat down in her usual spot. The smell of her favorite breakfast didn't help her feel better. Not even Genie's antics could bring about a smile as they usually did. As she felt someone place their hand on her left shoulder, she jerked away.  
"Jas, it's okay," Aladdin assured her, "it's me. Are you okay?"  
"I'm just a little tired," Jasmine said.

"Did Iago keep you up?" Aladdin asked.  
"No," Jasmine replied truthfully. "He only woke up once and I was already awake. He's feeling a little better. I just had some trouble sleeping."  
"Why?" Aladdin inquired.  
"I'll tell you, but can we go back to the garden?" she requested. "Please?"  
"Sure," Aladdin agreed. He turned to Genie, Abu and Iago. "You guys stay here."  
"No, it's okay. Iago can come," Jasmine consented. "That way if I can't tell you the whole thing, he can fill in the blanks."  
"Okay," Aladdin looked really confused now. Nevertheless, he followed Jasmine to the garden. Once there, they sat where they had the previous day. This time, it was Jasmine who had a far off look in her eyes. She reached out a hand and Aladdin gave her what she needed without a second thought.  
"Just remember Princess, I'm here to make the story more exciting if you can't finish it," Iago said in an attempt to get his friend to smile.  
Jasmine managed a tiny one for him. She knew he would stick to the facts with this one, but his effort at humor warmed her heart. After taking a deep breath, she locked eyes with Aladdin before starting her story.

"Well as you know, Jafar wanted me out of the way. Like Iago said, I was a threat to him. I knew what he was up to even if I didn't know all the details. One night after everyone else had gone to sleep, I opened the door to let Rajah out for a few minutes like I always did. I went to bed after that. I knew Rajah could get back in on his own. I woke up later and saw someone in my doorway. Thinking it was just a servant checking on me, I tried to go back to sleep. But when the person didn't leave after a minute, I started becoming suspicious. I sat up, trying to see who was standing there. When I recognized who it was, I tried to be brave. I made sure I had something to defend myself with before facing Jafar head on."

****

Jasmine glared at the intruder standing in her doorway. She knew who it was. The only question was, why was he there?  
"What are you doing here?" she demanded.  
"Your father asked me to check on you, dear princess," Jafar said smoothly.  
"I'm fine," Jasmine practically spat.  
Jafar smiled unpleasantly as he advanced towards her.  
Jasmine was faster. She sprang off the bed and pulled a rod from her curtains down. Swinging it around, she managed to catch the man off guard.  
"Now there's no need for all that," Jafar said in a falsely calm voice.  
"I order you to leave," Jasmine declared. Her voice shook slightly, but her glare was strong.  
"I would, but we have some unfinished business to attend to," Jafar answered.  
"What are you talking about?" Jasmine blinked in sincere confusion.  
"Don't play dumb with me. It won't do you any good. I know you heard me telling Iago the plan the other day," Jafar spoke while he continued to advance closer.  
"What plan?" Jasmine asked, praying to buy herself more time.  
Jafar was silent as he approached her. As he reached out to touch her face, Jasmine slapped his hand away.  
"You just made a terrible mistake, princess," Jafar hissed.  
In an effort to get away, Jasmine backed up towards the entrance to her balcony. She could hear Rajah growling on the other side of the door. She was almost there when she felt a strong hand grab her right arm. She tried to pull away, but Jafar was much stronger than she was. She tried not to cry out as she felt his other hand slap her across the face.  
"I'll show you what happens to people who try to foil my plans," Jafar hissed in her ear.  
Just then, Rajah burst through the other entrance and charged straight for Jafar.  
As though he were flicking away a fly, Jafar warded the tiger off with his staff.  
"Rajah!" Jasmine cried. She didn't have much time to worry about her beloved companion. All of a sudden, she felt a pain in her abdomen.

Jasmine did her best to fight him off of her, but it was no use. All she could do was pray he would finish quickly. Fifteen minutes later that felt like fifteen years to Jasmine, Jafar stood up and headed for the door. As he exited, he turned back to face her battered and shivering body on the bed.  
"Oh, by the way, tell anyone about this and you'll be sorry." With that, he was gone. Once Jasmine was sure she was alone, she let the tears of pain and anger fall. She was angry at herself for allowing Jafar to do something like that to her. She was also angry at the guards for not protecting her. As the tears continued to stream down her face, she wished more than ever that her mother was still alive. If only she was, then maybe Jasmine wouldn't feel so alone now. A few minutes later, Jasmine heard fluttering wings nearby. She soon felt someone land beside her.  
"Jasmine?" Iago asked.  
Jasmine just whimpered in pain without acknowledging her friend's presence. While she was mostly sure Iago had nothing to do with what had just happened to her, she had a feeling he had known about it. As another whimper escaped her lips, she tried to curl up into a ball in an effort to protect herself. As she did so, she realized she would never feel safe in her home again..

*****Present**

Jasmine could feel herself shaking. She could also feel Aladdin's strong, protective arms around her. She leaned into him, letting the tears fall.  
"Jasmine, I…I had no idea," Aladdin said, not sure what else to say except, "I'm so sorry. You know it wasn't your fault, right?"  
Jasmine nodded as more tears came. She suddenly started struggling to get out of Aladdin's embrace.  
"Jasmine, it's okay, you're safe," Aladdin assured her.  
"Kid, let her go," Iago advised, "trust me."  
Aladdin looked puzzled, but did so reluctantly.  
The minute Jasmine was free she got up unsteadily and made her way back into the palace. She didn't get very far before it got to be too much. Collapsing to her knees, she suddenly felt her stomach twist painfully. A second before she lost the contents on the floor, she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Jasmine, it's okay, you're gonna be okay. Let's get you back to bed," Aladdin made sure it was okay to lift her before gathering his love into his arms and carrying her back to her room. He would have had Carpet take them, but he didn't think Jasmine's stomach could handle the short flight. Laying her upon the bed, he dumped the water out of the basin and set it back on the nightstand. Climbing into bed beside her, he took Jasmine into his arms and comforted her through touch and words until she was half asleep.  
Just then, Genie entered the room.  
"What's up with Jas?" he frowned in concern.  
"She's just having a hard time," Aladdin explained. "Can you do me a favor?"  
"Anything, Al," Genie said sincerely.  
"Can you keep Abu busy for the afternoon?"  
"Sure. But what about Iago?"  
"Jasmine needs him here," Aladdin said.  
"Okay. Tell Jas I hope she feels better," Genie floated out of the room.  
"I will," Aladdin promised. He knew Jasmine would appreciate Genie's kind words. Sighing to himself, he kissed Jasmine on the cheek while keeping a protective arm around her.  
"Is she okay?" Iago asked. He flew in a minute later.  
"I don't know," Aladdin sighed. Gazing up at the parrot, he asked, "Was she like this after it happened?"  
"Yeah. She couldn't eat for a week. She was pretty scared too. I did what I could when Jafar was busy, but I couldn't stay with her 24/7."  
"I understand," Aladdin said.  
"I would have if I could have," Iago admitted. He wasn't sure where that had come from. Flying over to Jasmine, he landed behind her right shoulder. He wanted to help her, but he wasn't sure what to do. But he promised himself he would help Jasmine heal from her past, just like she was helping him do, no matter what it took.


	3. Chapter 3

DISC: I DO NOT own the characters from Disney's Aladdin. I do however own the storyline of this fic.  
Enjoy!

"A Long Overdue Friendship"

Chapter 3

Aladdin sighed as he glanced down at Jasmine. She had been thrashing around in her sleep off and on. All Aladdin wanted to do was hold her and never let her go. But he knew that wasn't going to help her overcome the nightmare she was fighting. While physical comfort would help it wasn't the entire answer.

Iago for his part had been alert to Jasmine's distress too. He hadn't moved from his spot behind her shoulder all night. Even when her thrashing caused him to be knocked aside, he came back. He knew she hadn't meant it. He was also feeling guilty for not protecting her in the first place.

"Iago?"  
The parrot looked over to see Aladdin glancing at him in concern.  
"Why don't you get some sleep? I'll watch Jasmine."  
"I wanna help her too, you know," he retorted.  
"I know. But you need your rest," Aladdin insisted.  
Just then, Genie joined them. He frowned when he saw Jasmine restless form and the tear tracks on her face. Turning to his best friend, he sighed.  
"Has Jas been up all night?"  
"Off and on," Aladdin informed him. "Genie, I don't know what to do. I wanna help her, but I don't know if I'm doing the right thing." He soon felt Genie put a hand on his shoulder.  
"Al, you're doing everything you can for her. Jas will be okay. She's strong. But more than that, she has us. She has you. We'll help her through it."  
"Thanks, pal," Aladdin managed a tiny smile for him.  
"Any time." With that, he left to make sure Abu wasn't getting himself into any trouble.  
No sooner did Genie leave, Jasmine started to stir. She sat up quickly, her eyes darting around.

"Aladdin?" Was the first word out of her mouth as her eyes locked with his.  
"I'm right here," he assured her.  
"Hey, princess," Iago greeted. He landed on her shoulder just as Abu came scampering in. He started chattering excitedly when he saw Jasmine awake.  
Aladdin frowned at his best friend.  
"Abu, calm down," he advised.  
"Are you hungry?" Aladdin asked.  
Iago's eyes lit up at the question.

"Now that you mention it, I'm famished. Maybe we can order out for falafel and those little chocolate éclairs."  
"I was asking Jasmine," Aladdin raised his eyebrows.  
"A little," Jasmine admitted. She smiled up at Iago before her eyes locked with Aladdin's again. Turning back to Iago, she added, "We can get a some falafel if you want. But I was thinking of having some fruit."  
"Jas, you have to eat more than that," Aladdin insisted.  
"Aladdin, I know you're concerned for me and I appreciate it. But trust me," Jasmine implored.  
"Okay," Aladdin sighed.  
After having Genie fulfilled Jasmine's fruit request, he zapped in some food for Iago.  
"Jasmine, I'm sorry," Aladdin apologized.  
"You don't have anything to apologize for," Jasmine reached out a hand and touched the side of his face affectionately. "You didn't do this to me. You've been helping me this whole time. I feel safe with you."  
"I'm glad," Aladdin said softly. He started to lean for a kiss and then stopped.  
"Aladdin, it's okay. I know you weren't the one who hurt me," Jasmine assured him. To emphasize the point, she gently pulled him close and rested her head on his shoulder. As she felt Aladdin's hand comb through her hair, she closed her eyes.

"Bleeecch!" Iago declared, almost spitting out his food. "That's enough to make me lose my appetite!"  
Jasmine and Aladdin ignored him.  
A few minutes later, Aladdin heard Jasmine's soft, even breathing and knew she was on her way to dreamland once again.

****

Meanwhile, far away from Agrabah, two glowing green eyes surveyed the city through a pool. The creature the eyes belonged to smiled evilly. As she continued to gaze upon Agrabah, an idea started to form in her mind. She had wanted to get revenge on Aladdin and this was the perfect time to do it. And as she gazed at Jasmine sleeping in Aladdin's arms, she knew exactly how to accomplish it.  
"You'll soon wish you had never defeated me, Aladdin," she said, her voice ending in a soft purr. Throwing some red dust into a crack in a sphere, she waited for it to take effect.

******

Jasmine woke with a start. Gazing around, the shaking subsided when she realized she was in her and Aladdin's room. Gazing at the end of the bed, she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Rajah resting there. Glancing to her left, she was surprised when she didn't find Aladdin beside her. She could have sworn she remembered falling asleep in his arms. Figuring he had gone to get a drink of water or check on Abu, she lay back down and waited for him to return. But after five minutes turned into ten, Jasmine started to get worried. She sat up, all intentions of going to find her fiancé. Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, Jasmine stood. She was about to leave the room when Rajah awoke. He stood on all four paws and walked over to the balcony door.  
"Rajah?" Jasmine walked over to her beloved tiger and placed a hand on his head. "Are you okay?"  
Rajah glanced back at his mistress before gazing back at the door.  
"Do you want some fresh air?" Jasmine asked. She stepped forward and opened the door to let him out. Once she was sure he would be okay, Jasmine left to find Aladdin. But as she walked the familiar hallway, she started getting a feeling of deja vou. Something about this seemed familiar somehow... As she turned left, something caught her eye. It was the stairway to Jafar's old lab. As she stared at it, she noticed a torch light was on. As her mind started putting the pieces together, she heard someone call her name from behind.  
"Jasmine! Hey princess!"  
Whirling around, Jasmine saw Iago flying towards her. He perched on her right shoulder before continuing to speak.  
"I think we're in trouble!" He shouted.  
"Iago, calm down," Jasmine reached up and placed a comforting hand on his wing, "take a deep breath."  
Iago did so. It was a mark of just how much he trusted Jasmine that she could help him calm down so easily.  
"Good. Now, why do you think we're in trouble? And have you seen Aladdin?"  
Iago shook his head.  
"The kid's not the only one missing," he explained. "The Genie and the stupid monkey are gone too!"  
"Did you see anything? Did someone kidnap him?" Jasmine asked.  
"I don't know. I just woke up and your room was empty. I came looking for…a…a midnight snack and noticed the kid was gone too."  
Jasmine raised her eyebrows.  
"Okay, okay! I was…I was worried about you," he admitted.  
Jasmine managed a small smile for Iago.  
"I won't tell anyone," she promised. "Come on, we have to find Aladdin and the others." Turning back towards Jafar's lab, Jasmine started towards the door.  
"Uh, Jas, why are we going down there?" Iago asked. He tried to hide his fear, but Jasmine could feel him shaking.  
Stopping at the top step, Jasmine made eye contact with her friend.  
"Iago, listen to me. I won't let anything happen to you. We're in this together. We can do this."  
"You really believe that?" Iago whispered.  
"Yes, I do," Jasmine said with more confidence than she felt at the moment.  
"All right," Iago decided, "let's do this."  
Jasmine ruffled his feathers before continuing down the staircase. Stopping just outside the door to Jafar's lab, she heard an all too familiar voice from inside.  
"How dare she speak to me that way. She needs to learn her place." There was a pause and Jasmine heard the laughter that made her stomach churn. "And I know just the way."  
Backing up quickly, Jasmine turned and ran as fast as she could. She didn't stop until she had put at least two floors between them and Jafar.

Going into a spare guestroom, Jasmine sank down on the bed and tried to take a deep breath.

"I don't get it," Iago remarked, startling Jasmine out of her fear induced state.  
"I think I do," Jasmine whispered. "Aladdin wasn't kidnapped. And neither was Genie and Abu."  
"Then why can't we find them?" Iago demanded.  
"Because I haven't met any of them yet."  
"Princess, are you sure you're feeling okay? You're kind of talkin' in circles," Iago observed.  
"No, I'm not okay. But I will be. We need to find Aladdin."  
"We don't even know where he is!" Iago pointed out in a panic.  
"Oh yes we do," Jasmine said with true confidence this time. "Come on, we don't have much time."  
"Where are we going?" Iago asked. He had a feeling he wasn't going to like the answer.  
"To find Aladdin. We're going to his hovel."  
"I already don't like this plan," Iago mumbled.  
"I think I know what's going on," Jasmine explained while climbing out the window and grabbing hold of a tree branch.  
"I don't mind if you keep it a secret," Iago tried.  
Jasmine ignored his comment.  
"Somehow, we're back in time. I don't know how or why. That's why we can't find Aladdin or Genie. I haven't met Aladdin yet and he hasn't found Genie. But we're going to fix this." With that, she landed on the ground and scaled the wall with ease. She thanked Heaven above that she had retained all of her memories. As she walked the familiar route to Aladdin's old home, she wasn't aware of the figure watching her in the shadows…


	4. Chapter 4

DISC: I DO NOT own any of the characters from Aladdin. They belong to Disney. I do however own Naserine.  
Enjoy!

"A Long Overdue friendship"

Chapter 5

It didn't take Jasmine long to arrive at Aladdin's former home. She just hoped that he was there. She also hoped that if she was dealing with the Aladdin's past self, she would be able to convince him to help her before anything else happened. As she observed the familiar building, Iago voiced his opinion.

"Great, we're here now," Iago announced unnecessarily. He raised a wing and pointed it at the familiar structure. "Now what?"  
Jasmine sighed.  
"Now we find Aladdin," she said confidently. Stepping forward, she felt Iago grab onto her right shoulder with his talon.  
"Uh, don't you think that maybe we should knock first?" he suggested.  
Jasmine shook her head.  
"I'll just announce myself so I don't scare him or Abu," she decided.  
"Are you crazy?" Iago asked, not really expecting an answer.  
Jasmine ignored him and stepped forward. tapping lightly on the right side of the hovel, she tentatively called out, "Aladdin? Aladdin, it's me, Jasmine. I need to talk to you. Are you there? Aladdin?" Not receiving an answer, Jasmine stepped inside. She hadn't gone four feet when she felt a rough hand clamp down on her other shoulder. She twisted around in an attempt to see who it was. Reflexively, Jasmine twisted before kicking the person in order to get away. Once she had, she whirled around to find not Aladdin standing there, but a bulky looking thief. She glared at him.  
"You'll pay for that," the thief glared at her.

"What do you think you're doing?" Jasmine demanded with more bravery than she felt.  
"I should be asking you the same thing," the thief leered. He eyed her up and down in a way that made Jasmine shiver.  
"I was just looking for…" her voice trailed off as the thief advanced towards her again.  
"If you were looking for trouble, you've found it. Let me show you what happens to those who trespass where they aren't welcome." With that, he pulled out a sword and swung it towards her.  
Jasmine jumped back instantly, feeling definite deja vou. Only this time she had a feeling Aladdin wouldn't be there to rescue her. The sound of a familiar sweeping above made her glance away for a second.  
"Hey!" a very familiar male voice shouted. "Leave her alone!" With that, the figure landed in between the two of them. He went to tackle the thief in an effort to knock the sword from his hand, but to his dismay and growing fear, he discovered the thief was too strong for him. Soon, Aladdin felt himself being flicked aside as though he was nothing more than a common rat.

"Aladdin!" Jasmine cried out.

"Hang on!" Aladdin encouraged. Getting to his feet once again, he ran for Jasmine. But as he saw the sword tip flash through the air a second before it found its target, he knew he was too late.

"Jasmine, watch out!" Iago cried just as Jasmine felt a sharp pain in her stomach. Gasping in pain while fighting dizziness, she felt someone lift her up and set her down upon something soft and familiar. She was about to fight, but relaxed when she heard Aladdin's voice assure her.

"It's okay Jas, you're safe now."  
"Al…Aladdin," Jasmine gasped. She glanced down to see that she wasn't feeling things. She was indeed upon carpet with Aladdin next to her. "How did you…?" her voice trailed off as she let out a painful whimper.  
"I'll explain later," he replied. "Right now, we have to get out of here and get you help."  
"I should never have come here," Jasmine said as a few tears streamed down her face. "I was just trying to find you so we could fix whatever's going on. I got what I deserved."  
"Don't say that," Aladdin reached out and touched the side of her face much like she had done to him a few hours before, "nobody deserves to be hurt. Especially the woman I love. We'll let that jerk's men deal with him after they find out he failed to do his job. We have to get you help."  
"I…I thought…you always lived…" Jasmine's voice trailed off as the pain increased.  
"Shh, Jas, don't talk. You have to rest," Aladdin coaxed.  
"Al, I don't mean to interrupt," Iago said, fluttering onto his shoulder, "but in case you haven't noticed, your fiancé is bleeding!"  
"That's why we're going to get her help," Aladdin said through gritted teeth towards Iago.  
"Where are we going?" Iago asked. "And where's the monkey and genie? He could heal Jasmine."  
"I already told you," Jasmine gasped out, "Aladdin hasn't found-" her sentence was interrupted by a stab of pain in her stomach.  
"I haven't found Genie yet," Aladdin reiterated. "Well at least my past self hasn't found him yet."  
"Oh boy, I feel a migraine coming on and it is not gonna be pretty," Iago moaned.  
Aladdin and Jasmine ignored him.  
"He has a point," Jasmine whispered. "If we can't go back to the palace and Genie isn't here, what are we going to do? Ow!"  
"That's exactly where we're going," Aladdin informed her.  
"How did you get here?" Iago asked. He was trying to ignore the whimpers issuing from Jasmine every few minutes. He would never admit this to anyone, but he was more scared for her than he had ever been before.  
Halfway there, Aladdin realized something. Giving Carpet the command to keep flying, he explained the realization he had just come to.  
"We have to take care of this on our own for now. Until we can figure out who sent us here, we're without Genie's help. We need to find a safe place to stay for now."  
"But what about.." Iago's voice trailed off as he glanced at Jasmine.  
"We'll get Jas help," Aladdin assured his friend. With that, he ripped off a strip of his jacket and as gently as he could, wrapped it around Jasmine's injury. He wasn't an expert, but he prayed it was enough for now. Directing Carpet along, Aladdin let his thoughts wander for a minute or two. He was trying to figure out who had sent them back in time and why. He knew Abis mal wasn't smart enough to try it a second time. And Mozenraph was dead or at least almost powerless, so he was out. Chaos was too playful to do something like this.  
As Carpet stopped, Aladdin gently lifted Jasmine into his arms and motioned for Iago to follow him.

Stepping inside the familiar building, Aladdin prayed the person there would be able to help them.  
"Aladdin?" Jasmine mumbled, half asleep.  
"It's okay. We're here to get you help," he gently kissed the top of her head just as an older woman approached them.

****

Meanwhile, the glowing green eyes continued to survey the gang through a pool. She smiled at what she saw. She couldn't have planned it better herself. So far, things were going smoothly.  
"Foolish Aladdin," she purred, "this is only the beginning of your troubles." With that, she continued to watch the evetns unfold…

*****

"I'm glad you thought of me, Aladdin," the woman gave him a warm smile as she concentrated on patching Jasmine's injury. "Jasmine is very lucky. If the blade had gone an inch more to the right…" her voice trailed off, making Aladdin gulp.  
"We really appreciate your help, Naserine," Aladdin said.  
"It's my pleasure. You've done a lot to help me. It's time I Return the favor. There." She set the jar of allo down and glanced up at Aladdin.  
"Is Jasmine going to be okay?" Aladdin asked.  
"She'll be fine in about a week or so. She needs to rest now. Do you have a place to stay?" Naserine asked.  
"No," Aladdin admitted.  
"You're welcome to stay here until Jasmine heals. I have food and a warm bed," she offered.  
"Thank you," Aladdin smiled a little.  
"You need to get some rest and eat something," she lovingly ordered much like a grandmother would do for a child.  
"You wouldn't happen to have any falaf-" Iago s tarted to ask, but was cut off by Aladdin grabbing his tail feathers in a warning.  
"As a matter of fact, I do," Naserine replied. "Follow me." With that, she led the way up a flight of stairs and into a room on the left.  
Aladdin lay Jasmine down on the bed, kissed her lips softly and smoothed a few strands of hair out of her face.  
"Aladdin, what's going on?" Jasmine asked as she opened her eyes.  
"We're okay for now," Aladdin assured her, "we're staying with a friend of mine. Just rest for me. I love you."  
"I love you too," Jasmine managed a tiny smile for him. "Where's Iago?"  
"I told you you'd get in trouble for trying to play the hero," Iago lectured, flying onto her shoulder. "But does anyone ever listen to the parrot? No!"  
"Here the silence?" Aladdin asked rhetorically.  
Iago glared at him.  
"Once again, that's the sound of nobody disagreeing with you."  
Iago turned his attention to Jasmine.  
"Don't ever scare me like that again!" he scolded.  
"I'll try not to," Jasmine said softly. She reached up and smoothed his feathers affectionately.  
"I'll be downstairs if you need anything," Naserine told them. With that, she was gone.  
"How did you meet her, Al?" Iago asked, still upon Jas's shoulder.  
"She helped me after I had been beaten up by some older kids," Aladdin admitted.  
Iago's jaw dropped. Then he broke out in laughter.  
"You…you…were…being…beaten up by…the strong, tough hero was beaten up by…" words failed him as more laughter escaped. He soon stopped laughing abruptly when he felt a soft hand grab him.  
"It's not funny," Jasmine admonished. Although her tone was soft, her grip was firm and Iago knew her words carried an underlining command to stop while he was ahead.  
"Okay, you win," he sighed.  
"I'm glad we agree," Jasmine loosened her grip, letting Iago go.  
Aladdin shook his head in amazement. He had just begun to notice how much Iago had grown to respect Jasmine in the last two years. And not as a princess, but as a friend and mentor of sorts.  
"After you're better, we'll fix this," Aladdin promised the love of his life.  
"Aladdin, I know I don't admit this often, but I'm scared," Jasmine locked eyes with her soon-to-be husband.  
"Me too, Jas," Aladdin reached out and took one of her hands in his. "But we'll get through this together. We're figuring it out." With that, he leaned in and Jasmine met him halfway for a kiss. Soon after that, they both fell asleep.

******

It was late in the night when Jasmine awoke. She tried to sit up, but was stopped by a stabbing pain in her stomach. Sucking in a breath, she lay back down and tried to breathe through it.  
"Jasmine?"  
Jasmine glanced to her right to see Iago perched on the nightstand.  
"Did I wake you?" she frowned.  
"No. I couldn't sleep," he admitted. Then as an afterthought he added, "Al went downstairs to ask his friend about something. He'll be back."  
"Thanks. Why can't you sleep?" she placed a concerned hand on his back. "You can take to me, you know."  
Iago took a deep breath before letting it out. He sighed before speaking his mind.  
"You really scared me today, princess," his voice shook slightly.  
"I'm okay now," Jasmine comforted, "or at least I will be after I rest some more."  
"When I saw that guy stab you, I didn't know what to do. I thought you were…I was afraid you…" his voice trailed off as he attempted to hide his true emotions.  
"You thought I was going to die," Jasmine whispered. "Oh, Iago, I'm sorry. But listen to me. I'm strong. If The Ethereal couldn't kill me and if Mozenraph and all those other evil villains we helped Aladdin defeat couldn't get rid of me, I'm not going anywhere for a long time. So don't worry. You're stuck with me."  
"I don't deserve you as a friend," Iago mumbled.  
"Iago! Of course you do. Why would you think that?" Jasmine couldn't help but gasp at her friend's words.  
"Because I didn't protect you again," he turned away from her.  
"Iago, look at me. It's okay," Jasmine coaxed.  
Iago tried to ignore her words, but found he couldn't for long. Chancing a glance up, he saw nothing but love and compassion in her eyes.  
"That's it," Jasmine encouraged, "see? I'm okay. And you did protect me or you tried to. You warned me right before it happened. That meant a lot to me. More than you'll ever know."  
"But I could have stopped it," Iago insisted. 'I could have knocked the sword out of that guys 'hand and then you wouldn't be…"  
"It happened too fast," Jasmine reminded him. "There wasn't any time. You did all you could. And furthermore, you do deserve me for a friend. You deserve to have friends. We all love you."  
"You're not such a bad friend yourself," he commented.

"Thanks," Jasmine winked at him. "Don't ever believe you don't deserve to have friends, because it's not true." Without warning, she yawned.  
"You should get some more sleep," Iago suggested.  
"You too," Jasmine ruffled his feathers. With that, she closed her eyes and was asleep within minutes. She didn't even stir when Aladdin returned to bed and kissed her lightly on the lips.

*****

Jasmine felt someone wrap their arms around her shoulders. Opening her eyes, she smiled when she saw it was Aladdin. Her smile turned to a frown when she saw the look on his face.  
'Aladdin, what's wrong?" She asked.  
"I'm sorry. You're hurt because I couldn't take that guy on," Aladdin sighed.  
"Godzilla couldn't take that guy on," Iago commented from Jasmine's right shoulder.  
"Iago!" Jasmine scolded.  
"Well it's true," Iago conceded.  
Turning back to Aladdin, Jasmine tried to get comfortable in his embrace.  
"Aladdin, Iago and I just had a similar conversation a few hours ago. It's not your fault. I don't blame either one of you. I promise," Jasmine kissed him on the lips before resuming her earlier position.  
"Jas, that's just it, it was my fault. If only I had at least gotten the sword away from that jerk, you wouldn't have been hurt."  
"Aladdin, please, don't do this to yourself," Jasmine pleaded, "You'll drive yourself crazy. It wasn't your fault. Will you try to stop blaming yourself, please? Do it for me."  
Aladdin let out a sigh.  
"I can never say no to you," he put a hand through her hair. He soon felt her hand come to rest in his own right one.  
"Thank you. I love you."  
"I love you too, Jas," Aladdin was about to kiss her when a blinding green light pushed him backward. Jumping up, he raced to Jasmine's side. He was just in time to see her disappear, along with Iago who had been perched on her shoulder.  
"Aladdin!" Jasmine cried out just before the light faded.  
"Jasmine! No! No!" Aladdin shouted. He whistled for Carpet. As he jumped aboard, a female voice stopped him.  
"I do enjoy a tragic love story," the voice purred.  
"Mirage! Bring Jasmine back now!" Aladdin ordered.

Tsk, task, tsk. You're so impatient, Aladdin. Did you ever hear the saying patience is a virtue?"  
Aladdin gritted his teeth in anger. He wasn't even aware that his hands had curled into fists until he felt his nails digging into his skin.  
"Where have you taken Jasmine!" Aladdin demanded.  
"Everything in due time, Aladdin," Mirage said patiently. "Speaking of that. You must know where you are by now."  
"Did you do that too?" Aladdin asked. He didn't expect an answer, which is why he was surprised when Mirage replied.  
"I wish I could take credit for all of it, but I can't. I did my part to send you and your fiancé here, but it wasn't a solo mission."  
"Where's Jasmine?" Aladdin demanded yet again.  
"Such a one track mind you has," Mirage observed. "She's safe…for now. But that can change if you don't do exactly what I say."  
"What do you want?" Aladdin spat.  
"To be rid of you," Mirage said as she put a paw to her whiskers.  
"You can forget about that," Aladdin retorted.  
"But for now, I'll settle for the enchanted sword of Caldoon."  
"What?" Aladdin blinked in confusion.  
"The sword is said to hold mystical powers. I've wanted that power for centuries. But I can't get it because it's protected. Only someone with pure of heart can remove the sword from its hilt. Bring me the sword and Jasmine will be returned to you unharmed. Fail and I can't be responsible for what happens to her…"  
"What makes you think I'll do it?" Aladdin glared at her.  
"Well, let's just say Jasmine isn't the only life at stake here…"  
Aladdin was confused by the cat's words. He knew Iago had been taken as well, but he had a feeling mirage was talking about something else entirely.  
"What's your decision?" Mirage asked, breaking into his thoughts.  
Sighing heavily, Aladdin stared at the wall above Mirage's head.  
"I'll do it. But you better not try anything."  
"The sword is located in a valley," Mirage explained.  
'Wait, I thought it was in caldoon?" Aladdin furrowed his brow in confusion.  
"It was made there, but the person who made it wanted it to stay protected, so he placed it in a hidden valley inhabited by animals."  
Aladdin's eyes lit up in recognition. He was about to say something when he glanced up to see Mirage was gone.  
"You have twenty-four hours to complete your task," Mirage's voice reverberated around the room.  
Glancing down, Aladdin noticed something shiny lying on the floor. Picking the object up, he held it as though it were a precious treasure.  
"Don't worry, Jasmine. I'll rescue you if it's the last thing I do." With that, Aladdin gave Carpet the command and they headed off…


End file.
